Thermodynamic properties of DNA sequences: characteristic values for the human genome

Abstract

Distributions of melting temperature (Tm), free energy (DeltaG(T)o), and fraction hybridized or fraction bound (Fb), are presented for oligos of length 10-50 bases sampled from the human genome. The effects of changing temperature, oligo and salt concentrations, constraining G+C content, and introducing mismatches are exemplified. Our results provide the first survey of typical and limiting thermodynamic values evaluated on a genomic scale. Described numbers comprise useful 'rules of thumb' that are applicable to most technologies dependent upon DNA oligo design.